Big-tent spectacle, Michael Jackson: An artistry match made in heaven

Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour comes to the O'Connell Center for performances Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cirque du Soleil

By Tyler FrancischineCorrespondent

Published: Friday, May 9, 2014 at 6:56 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 9, 2014 at 6:56 p.m.

In the late 1980s, crowds at Michael Jackson shows were indistinguishable from those of a religious revival. Young girls with red cheeks screamed and fainted. Cameras closed in on tear-stained faces and mouths frozen in expressions of awe.

Jackson's ability to reach his fans has not waned with his passing in 2009. Cirque du Soleil has created a performance of dancers, acrobats and musicians honoring The King of Pop's career, and it will feature high-quality audio of Jackson's voice and video footage of his performances. Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour visits the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Tuesday and Wednesday.

The tour, which features 49 performers from around the world, including musicians who previously worked with Jackson, will showcase both his original compositions and choreography. Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett drummed for Jackson for three decades, and he said the songs he performs in this show will span Jackson's entire career, from his early work with The Jackson 5 through the monumental releases "Thriller" and "Bad," to later solo work like "Earth Song." The musical director and designer remixed, mashed up and rearranged songs to keep them current, but Jackson's voice remains.

"There's a different approach in the arrangements, but you'll have no trouble recognizing the songs," he said. "We keep the culture and the character of his music intact, and we bring the same intensity and emotion in our performances."

He said some of his favorite tracks to perform are slower, sentimental pieces like "Man in the Mirror" and "Earth Song," which shine a spotlight on social issues like poverty, hunger and environmentalism.

"The emotional content of his words and the passion in his voice make me feel that passion and deliver a powerful drumbeat to support that," he said.

What makes Jackson's music still ring true today is the purity and effort with which it was produced, he said.

"Back then people were conscious of delivering something that [would] last for all time," he said. "A lot of heart went into the lyrics, rhythms and melodies. The melodies take you back to times and places in your life when you were happy. They will always be fresh and they will always feel new."

Intricate set designs feature the gilded gates of Neverland, a pair of eight-foot-long penny loafers, and a six-foot-tall white glove. Video screens will integrate real-time projections of the current performance with footage of Jackson's stage shows. Dancer Khalid Freeman said audiences won't know what to expect of this performance.

"It's meant to have you on your feet, dancing and celebrating," he said. "We want people to open up and be ready for whatever. It's hard to put into words. It's like nothing you've seen before."

Freeman said about half the choreography performed is original work Jackson used in past tours, but with acrobatic influences. That means the deep lean in "Smooth Criminal" and the moonwalk will be intact. He plays one of the Five Fanatics, characters who embody the essence of Jackson's fans. He said he was first introduced to Jackson through his mini-horror movie and music video for "Thriller."

Knowing Jackson's choreography was a prerequisite for popularity when he was growing up, he said. And some of that carries over today.

"Back then, if you didn't know how to moonwalk, you weren't cool," he said.

"And to this day you can't go to anybody's party without hearing a Michael Jackson song," he said. "His music is timeless. The amount of work and thought he put into it spans across all generations and time."

Moffett said this performance is a testimony to the devotion of Jackson's fans. Past audiences have told Moffett that between the visuals of his body and his vocals ringing through the speakers, Jackson's presence was acutely felt.

"They were looking for him on the sides of the stage, waiting for him to walk out even though they knew he couldn't," he said. "He still lives in them. This show brings out his spirit, and we keep him amongst us."

<p>In the late 1980s, crowds at Michael Jackson shows were indistinguishable from those of a religious revival. Young girls with red cheeks screamed and fainted. Cameras closed in on tear-stained faces and mouths frozen in expressions of awe. </p><p>Jackson's ability to reach his fans has not waned with his passing in 2009. Cirque du Soleil has created a performance of dancers, acrobats and musicians honoring The King of Pop's career, and it will feature high-quality audio of Jackson's voice and video footage of his performances. Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour visits the Stephen C. O'Connell Center Tuesday and Wednesday.</p><p>The tour, which features 49 performers from around the world, including musicians who previously worked with Jackson, will showcase both his original compositions and choreography. Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett drummed for Jackson for three decades, and he said the songs he performs in this show will span Jackson's entire career, from his early work with The Jackson 5 through the monumental releases "Thriller" and "Bad," to later solo work like "Earth Song." The musical director and designer remixed, mashed up and rearranged songs to keep them current, but Jackson's voice remains.</p><p>"There's a different approach in the arrangements, but you'll have no trouble recognizing the songs," he said. "We keep the culture and the character of his music intact, and we bring the same intensity and emotion in our performances."</p><p>He said some of his favorite tracks to perform are slower, sentimental pieces like "Man in the Mirror" and "Earth Song," which shine a spotlight on social issues like poverty, hunger and environmentalism.</p><p>"The emotional content of his words and the passion in his voice make me feel that passion and deliver a powerful drumbeat to support that," he said.</p><p>What makes Jackson's music still ring true today is the purity and effort with which it was produced, he said. </p><p>"Back then people were conscious of delivering something that [would] last for all time," he said. "A lot of heart went into the lyrics, rhythms and melodies. The melodies take you back to times and places in your life when you were happy. They will always be fresh and they will always feel new."</p><p>Intricate set designs feature the gilded gates of Neverland, a pair of eight-foot-long penny loafers, and a six-foot-tall white glove. Video screens will integrate real-time projections of the current performance with footage of Jackson's stage shows. Dancer Khalid Freeman said audiences won't know what to expect of this performance.</p><p>"It's meant to have you on your feet, dancing and celebrating," he said. "We want people to open up and be ready for whatever. It's hard to put into words. It's like nothing you've seen before."</p><p>Freeman said about half the choreography performed is original work Jackson used in past tours, but with acrobatic influences. That means the deep lean in "Smooth Criminal" and the moonwalk will be intact. He plays one of the Five Fanatics, characters who embody the essence of Jackson's fans. He said he was first introduced to Jackson through his mini-horror movie and music video for "Thriller."</p><p>Knowing Jackson's choreography was a prerequisite for popularity when he was growing up, he said. And some of that carries over today.</p><p>"Back then, if you didn't know how to moonwalk, you weren't cool," he said.</p><p>"And to this day you can't go to anybody's party without hearing a Michael Jackson song," he said. "His music is timeless. The amount of work and thought he put into it spans across all generations and time."</p><p>Moffett said this performance is a testimony to the devotion of Jackson's fans. Past audiences have told Moffett that between the visuals of his body and his vocals ringing through the speakers, Jackson's presence was acutely felt.</p><p>"They were looking for him on the sides of the stage, waiting for him to walk out even though they knew he couldn't," he said. "He still lives in them. This show brings out his spirit, and we keep him amongst us."</p><p>Tickets range from $45 to $165 and are available at ticketmaster.com.</p>